Faculty honored for outstanding service
Twenty faculty members were honored for their service and mentorship to students during
the Outstanding Faculty Awards ceremony on April 24. Organized by the Faculty Senate
and the Professional Relations Committee, the event was attended by faculty members,
administrators, staff, and students. The Most Outstanding Faculty award was presented
to Chef Michael Pierini, for his strong commitment to students.
Chef Michael Pierini grew up in the shadows of his grandfather’s Italian restaurant in the farming heartland of Central California. While attending the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and graduating with honors, he worked and apprenticed at Masa’s, Stars and Flur de Lis, and, eventually, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.
Earning his B.V.E. degree from CSULB, Michael started teaching at Cerritos College
Culinary Arts as a Baking and Pastry instructor. In this position, Michael reflects,
"We built what we knew the industry needed: top quality cooks and bakers that know
how to work." As director for 30 years, he has led more than 800 students per semester
in training, along with operating three separate student-run food outlets. Michael
has received awards including Mentor of the Year from PROSTART and Excellence in Teaching
from the CCCAOE.
Throughout his career as an educator, Michael has always stayed true to his background of hospitality and education. "As a professor, I am still a chef," Michael says. "My students are my customers."
2024-25 Most Outstanding Faculty
Michael Pierini, culinary arts
Full-Time Outstanding Faculty
Ryan Babiar, biology
Angie Beck, child development
Dan DeKraker, earth science
Walter Fernández Blandino, history
Miodrag "Mickey" Micic, engineering design technology
Joe Mulleary, automotive technology
Rachel Natividad, nursing
Jerry Ramos, business administration
Maria Ugalde, modern languages
Part-Time Outstanding Faculty
Allen Bakalyar, engineering
Zaynab Bundakji, speech-language pathology assistant
Jaime Carranza, real estate
Gustavo Demoner, business administration
Justin Dupée, mental health worker
Paula Harper-Johnson, American sign language
Glenn Johnson, biology
Maria Puente-Porras, paralegal
Carlos Sánchez, woodworking technology
Dia Flores Vechayiem, anthropology
Years of Service Awards
35 Years of Service
Raul Valenzuela, COUN
30 Years of Service
Ralph Casas, HO
Walter Fernandez, HSS
Angela Hoppe-Nagao, LA
Deborah Jensen, KIN
Michael Pierini, HO
Mark Tait, TECH
25 Years of Service
Cynthia Alexander, BE
Lydia Alvarez, LA
Barbara Belroy, LA
David Betancourt, FAC
Jeffery Bradbury, SEM
Froylan Cabuto, LA
Kimberly Duff, HSS
Anthony Fortner, TECH
Patty George, SEM
Cynthia Lavariere, LA
Pamela Lewandowski, SEM
Kenny Lou, SEM
Ilva Mariani, SEM
Janet McLarty-Schroeder, SEM
Dean Mellas, SEM
Hagop Najarian, FAC
Solomon Namala, HSS
Scott O’Neil, SEM
Matthew Paige, LA
Francie Quaas-Berryman, LA
Kimberly Rosenfeld, LA
Christopher Wilson, FAC
20 Years of Service
Mark Abbruzzese, HSS
Angie Beck, HO
Mary Ellen Brady, BE
Ni Bueno, HPEA
James Byun, SEM
Carol Caminiti, HO
Lora Campeau, SEM
Angela Conely, SEM
Melodie Cooke, HO
Matthew Covill, SEM
Anna DeMichele, FAC
Stephen Grosfeld, KIN
Steven Hirohama, FAC
George Jarrett, HSS
Tor Lacy, SEM
Crystal Lo Vetere, SEM
James Mac Devitt, FAC
Sergio Macias, KIN
Sunday Obazuaye, HSS
Nishi Shah, LA
Ted Stolze, HSS
Frank Vega, TECH
Dara Worrel, SEM
15 Years of Service
Valeria Christensen, HO
Maria De La Torres, SEM
Keri Gonzalez, HO
Chad Greene, LA
Scottie Henderson, SEM
Russell May, KIN
Jaclyn Ronquillo-Adachi, HSS
Thad Szabo, SEM
Chace Tydell, SEM
10 Years of Service
Michael Binning, BE
Ryan Bodmer, HSS
Jennifer Calisher, SEM
Rigoberto Castro, COUN
Chelena Fisher, COUN
Berenice Gallardo, COUN
Daniel Gardner, LA
Dionne Gibson, HO
Dahlene Holliness, SAS
Jianli Hu, BE
Linda Hua, LA
Michelle Kim, LA
Trisha Kozlowski, KIN
Carlos Mera, SEM
Mark Olague, LA
Rossitza Petrova, TECH
Gustavo Romero, COUN
Veronica Sanchez, HSS
Marlena Shore, HO
Kristen Stephens, HO
Sergio Teran, FAC
Chuong Vo, TECH
Stay Connected